Studio (connecting cables).....HELP...Plz..
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Posted on May 07, 2008 02:00 am
zemusic
learning never stops...
Member Since: May 07, 2008
Hello,
I have recently bought a few items to build a small studio for my self at home... My problem is connecting the cables in the right order..
This is what i have:
1.Mackie Mixer CFX12
2.PreSonus HP4 -i guess for headphones
3.BlueTube-for giving more power to my phontom mic?
4.two yamaha monitors - speakers
5.C1 studio mic
6.Mbox which is my sound card....
7.300 watt amp
8.A PC
9.a midi keyboard-will it is a yamaha psr2100
10.cubase software
Now! can anyone please give me a step by step guide as to how to connect everything so i can record...and please mention which inputs go to which outputs and which items...Thank you for your kind help...
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May 07, 2008 08:49 am does you m-box have mic pre's and phantom power in it (XLR inputs) if so, you can completely bypass the mixer and blue tube (for now)
your signal flow should be like this...
mic > preamp (either mixer, blue tube or mbox) > interface (mbox) to the pc.
plug your monitors into the m-boxes main outputs (if they're passive use your 300 watt amp, if your monitors can handle it) but if your monitors are active (powered) then you won't need the amp.
as for the keyboard, if you're gonna use it as a midi controller you'll need some sort of midi interface to hook it up, otherwise you're stuck with its onboard sounds.
hope that helps get the ball rollin'
wyd
oh, welcome to HRC! wow, good to see lotsa new ppl around here
May 07, 2008 10:25 pm Hey zemusic. And welcome to the HRC.
whosyourdaddy00 is correct on how to connect your cables.
How ever, I have some questions for you. I see that your not so sure yourself about some of your pieces. Such as your HP4 and your Blue Tube. Is this because someone else suggested that you buy these pieces? Or, are these pieces that you knew about, and just not sure on how to run them?
Either way we can help. You already know that the Mbox, the Mackie and your PC, have a headphone jacks in them. I'm just curious about another headphone amp?
Also, your Mbox and Mackie have phantom power on them. Why the other pre?
It's not that you can't run redundancy. It's just that your adding latency with the Blue. It may be best to run everything to your Mackie (Mic's and DI's) and then the output of the Mackie to your Mbox.
This is only a suggestion. In my opinion, the simplest signal flow is best.
zemusiclearning never stops...Member
Since: May 07, 2008
May 07, 2008 11:52 pm Hello,
First of, thank your whosyourdaddy00 with the instructions, i have not tired connecting everything yet because i am just trying to find that nice and quiet place in the house....however i know i will have a ton of questions once i get started...
Referring to Rob's question, will earnestly, someone suggested them to me.. but i found it hard working live with one headphone jack and since my buddies playing along with me wanted to hear also their parts... so that is why i have that.. As for the mic preamp... i wasn't getting enough power and probably most likely i wasn't using the mixer the correct way, but anyhow someone suggest that i should go for the preamp, and yah my Mixer has a phantom switch, however, my Mbox has a 48v switch i do not know if that is also another name for phantom power<--(whosyourdaddy00)....
By the way thank your Rob for you attention as well...
By the way if i was to add my mixer and blue tube how would i go about doing that..?
note: this is forum is a wonderful and educational place to be surfing on...
May 08, 2008 06:27 am yep 48v is phantom power, and should be used with "condenser" microphones, which )is what you're C1 needs, "dynamic" microphones (like Sure SM57/58) do not need phantom power.
the mixer already has preamps built into it, that is the part you plug the mic into and the first knob at the top that will say "gain" or "trim"...it does the exact same thing as the blue tube.
if you swear the blue tube sounds better than your mixers pres (pay attention to the noize floor hiss) than run you mic into the blue tube then plug the output of the blue tube into the "line input" part of the mixer, NOT the XLR "mic input". this will bypass the mixer's preamp.
i hear ya ze, i've been a message board junkie for a few years now, and this is one of the finest ones on the net. glad to hear your enthusiasm.
zemusiclearning never stops...Member
Since: May 07, 2008
May 08, 2008 10:57 am hello,
lol...whoisyourdaddy00 i wont swear because i think your right, but just to utilize the bluetube since i have spent some money on it, it will make feel better...
So far i have connect my C1 to the bluetube and the outputs of the bluetube to the line ins of the mixer.. and my monitors i have connected to the line outputs of the Mbox..
now i know i have to make a connection from Mbox to my mixer... so do i use the line (TRS) from my Mbox and go to the main outputs on my mixer or a aux on the mix? Or do i have it completely wrong...
By the way so far i have not made any connections to my HP4 headphone amp..
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
May 08, 2008 01:00 pm Hey Ze, connect from the mbox outputs, to the last two line inputs on the mixer. They don't have to be the last two, but I like to do this, so I know they're visually separate from the regular input signals.
Like the pair that says 11/12. This will send the whole stereo field from the computer, over to the mixer, so you can route the mix to whatever you want.
What I like to do, is to connect my speakers to the mixer main outs. my speakers are self powered, so I don't need any other amplifier. If your speakers are not self powered, then you'll need to plug from the mixer outputs (mains) over to the amplifier LINE inputs. Then connect speakers to the amp like normal.
How are you connecting from the mixer to the mbox? if'n it were me, I would use the channel inserts for each channel (1 and 2). Push a 1/4" TS patch cable into the insert point, but stop at the first click. This will tap signal from your mixer, right after the preamp. But, you will also be sending channel 1 signal to the rest of the mixer.
THe reason I do it this way, is so that I can hear the input coming in on channel 1 directly through the mixer, not through the PC. No PC latency is incurred, so no lag. If you want to hear the channel 1 signal from the PC, then turn down the FADER on the mixer, not the gain/trim. Then turn the monitoring feature in your software to send signal out to your PC outputs. THen you'll hear the channel 1 signal coming in through the pair 11/12 we hooked up earlier.
Monitoring one way or the other both work, but each have their pros and cons.
Now, you can send a pair of cables from your sub groups to your headphone amp. Or, you can send signal from your control room outputs to the headphone amp. Or tape outs will work too.
zemusiclearning never stops...Member
Since: May 07, 2008
May 08, 2008 04:39 pm Hey pjk..
Forgiving me for asking asking questions but i am a bit to slow or maybe to much i have to admit...
so you are saying plug the output of the mbox to the last channel 11/12 i get that...
then from there my speakers are powered...so i can plug them directly to the main outs of my mixer i get that to...
now when it comes to the bluetube, HP4 and Mbox, i dont know how to connect them... Like where would be Bluetube would go and where will my HP4 will and finally how will my mbox connect to the mixer so that i can send a signal to the computer for recording...<---- i know these are stupid questions but i hope to learn this..lol
thank you
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
May 08, 2008 05:45 pm I'm gonna assume on a few things, cuz i'm lazy . . .
Mbox = 2 inputs, 2 outputs.
Bluetube = 2 MIC inputs, 2 LINE outputs.
HP4 = 2 LINE inputs (left&right), 4 headphone outputs
MBOX: hook the usb to PC, you probably got that =). Hook the two outputs (L&R) to your mixer 11/12. I'll pass on the inputs for the minute.
Bluetube: this will bypass your mixer. Plug 2 mics (or one) to the mic inputs, turn on phantom if the mics are condensor (like BH said). Set trim/gain for phat sound, but no clipping. Send the unbalanced outputs (1/4" TS) from the bluetube to the 2 line inputs on the mbox. Don't use the mixer for inputs, if you don't have too. Just another chance for signal degredation.
If you want to record, say a drum kit with 6 mics, then use the mixer for preamps, as there's a bunch. Send the mixed (summed) signal out from the sub-group outputs to 2 line inputs on the mbox. This will be a stereo file, that you won't edit later, so make it good =). But if you're doing 1 or 2 sources at a time, then use the BT. actually, see which is better: BT or mackie preamps. I'm not gonna guess, as they may be similar, or one may be better for some things, and vice versa. Testing will answer this question.
Now, with the HP4, this will accept 2 inputs, mainly the 2 signals coming from the mixer board somehow (sub groups, control room, tape outs, etc). I'd think control room would be good, as there's a volume on the mixer for ctrl room (i think). if you want to record without hearing through the monitors, only the headphones, then turn down the master fader on the mixer, and turn up ctrl room. When you want to just mix, and not track, turn down the ctrl room headphone, and turn up the master fader, so the monitors work again. control each as you need.
Now, if you want to use the mixer as preamps for signal to the mbox, I use the channel inserts. These jacks on the mixer channels are for 'inserting' a device inline with your signal. An EQ is a good example of this type of device. All signal is to be sent through the device. For our purposes, we want to tap signal from the channel, but not break the path, like an insert plug would do. Instead, we use a 1/4" TS cable plug, but only to the first click of the TRS jack. The other end of the patch cable with have signal coming only from that one channel. Very much like a 'Direct Out'. I suppose if the mixer has direct outs already, then you don't need to worry about channel inserts as tap points. Use the Direct outs instead.
Anyway, if you plug a cable from the channel insert (first click) over to your mbox line input, then you have an individual signal from mixer to PC. Do this with 2 channels and you have 2 individual channels. Set the gain on the 2 channels - phat signal, but no clipping - and press the big red 'R' in your software.
Oh yeah, and don't worry about stupid questions, we all start from here, not knowing what's doing what. Read up and try things, and it comes along pretty quick.
hth
zemusiclearning never stops...Member
Since: May 07, 2008
May 12, 2008 02:39 am Hello again...
thank you all for helping me out with this project...
Ok i followed pjk's instructions to the best of my ability and everything seems to be working... I am currently using pro tools le 6.4 instead of cubase sx.. There is one small problem, that is the sound is really to low.. i got my subs at U and main mix volume at U, but still the output seems to to be low...? any suggestions..Also if i was to connect let say a keyboard to my mixer's line in, how would i send that signal to the mbox? with the current setup i do not think i can do that..
my setup:
1.got the Mbox line outs to my my mixer ch 11/12 use the fader to control the volume...
2.got the Mbox line TSR 1 and 2 to the outputs of the BlueTube
4.for now i have only one mic C1 connect to the BT
3.I hooked up the HP4 to main outs on the mixer and i got the monitors running to the outputs of the HP4, so if i want to just hear everything on headphones i just press monitor mute button and i got all the sound coming just on headphones.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
May 12, 2008 10:16 pm You need to do one of two things. Make certain the channel gain is up to a good level on the BT or the mixer before the signal gets sent to the m-box.
Or you need to make certain the channel fader is up in PT for the input to be heard by the recording application. If you are not getting at least -18dB on your meters while recording in PT then you need to boost the input gain some.
As for the keyboard, you can either send it out an aux bus on the mixer to the m-box or plug it into the BT as well through a line input instead of the XLR connections.
zemusiclearning never stops...Member
Since: May 07, 2008
May 13, 2008 12:16 am ok.. but what if i am using more then two instrument? Is there anyway i can go from my mixer chnnls to the mbox..? considering that i still want to use the BT and HP4.. sorry for making this complicated...
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
May 13, 2008 03:14 pm I think the mbox only has 2 inputs. Please check to be sure.
and the BT only has 2 channels.
To keep instruments separate, you'll need an interface with more than 2 inputs. 1 instrument = 1 interface input.
If you want, you can sum the signals together before sending them to the mbox. But you can't separate them after you record them. Probably not what you want. A summed signal has to go out from the normal part of the mixer (mains out, sub group, ctrl room, tape outs)
Quote:
Is there anyway i can go from my mixer chnnls to the mbox..?
that question has already been answered above, by using channel inserts, or direct outs.
zemusiclearning never stops...Member
Since: May 07, 2008
May 20, 2008 09:22 pm Hello again!
Everything is working, but is it normal to have a mono feed or what i mean is like when i am playing live i can only hear all the sound coming from the right monitor.. However, if i press the mono switch on the HP4 then the other monitor kicks in..? for recording i pan each channel either left or right, but whn i want to play live i have them in center, but i do not get sound from one the speakers... my cables seem to be ok because switched them and checked them, they all work... any suggestions?
May 20, 2008 11:28 pm Check the assignment on the Mbox control panel. You may not have the left output assigned correctly.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
May 21, 2008 10:31 am I've had this situation in my environment too.
If i need to just record the track, then mono is fine, and I monitor the incoming signal from the mixer (coming from ch1, through summing mixer, and directly to my monitoring solution through whatever mixer outputs). I would then tell the software that I want NO monitoring. This tells the software to NOT send incoming ch1 signal back out through the outputs.
But,
If I want to hear the incoming signal in stereo, then in software, I have to route the incoming ch1 over to the interface outputs, so it will get sent back to the mixer channel 11/12 (or whatever last pair inputs). I do this by turning ON monitoring for that channel. Now I would have to turn down the mixer fader for channel 1, as I don't want to hear the incoming signal from both:
1: incoming through mixer direct
2: routed through PC back to outputs.
In reaper there is a monitoring button for each channel, that switches between on / off / auto.
I'd think if you can turn on monitor for that channel, the incoming signal will get created as stereo (by default) and sent out both L & R outputs to the mixer 11/12 inputs. Then you can hear it in stereo.
I hope that's clear and makes sense =/.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
May 21, 2008 12:24 pm On my interface all channels are 100% L/R by default in the software mixer. 1=100L 2=100R etc... There is "probably" a pan control in your mbox software mixer so you can configure each input to be centered or whatever you like.
